Category Archives: Recipes

The good news is that you are trying to eat veg! The bad news is that you’re thinking how much you will miss all your old favorite foods. Well, guess what? The better news is that going veg doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the dishes you love most. Pretty much anything you used to eat can be made with plant-based ingredients – even really meaty dishes like burgers, meatballs, and Buffalo wings. It just takes a little imagination, a bit of creativity, and the benefit of some tips and guidelines to help you create delicious vegan versions of those recipes. Soon you will be making delicious, satisfying meals that will satisfy your cravings, and before you know it, you will realize you don’t even miss the meat at all. Get your veg on with these 10 substitutes:

Tofu, Tempeh, Seitan, and TVP

You may not think of tofu or tempeh as vegetables, but they are plant-based and made from soybeans. TVP, or texturized vegetable protein, is also made from soy. Seitan is made from wheat gluten. The meat in any recipe can be replaced with one of these plant-based options. Tofu makes the perfect swap-out for chicken whether you want Crispy Tofu Nuggets, Moroccan Cutlets in a Lemon-Olive Sauce, or chunks for Chinese food like Kung Pao Tofu. Tempeh is wonderful for fish dishes because it has a flaky texture.

Mushrooms

When you want that meaty taste, that umami, mushrooms are the way to go. Their flavor is rich, earthy, and meaty, especially cremini or Portobello mushrooms. They are healthy and filling and can replace meat in any recipe. My favorite way to eat mushrooms is to saute them in vegan butter and add thyme, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Then I serve them over polenta unless I’m piling them up on a crispy roll to make a French Dip sandwich. Try mushrooms in this Mushroom Stroganoff or as a vegan “Lamb” Burger.

Jackfruit

If you have not yet tried jackfruit, you need to go out and get some. Technically, jackfruit is a fruit but incredibly, it can stand in for meat in savory dishes. You can buy it raw or already cut up in a can. Jackfruit has a very slight sweet taste but not so much that you can’t use it to make a decadent, satisfying Philly Cheesesteak. Jackfruit is perfect for barbecue sandwiches, stir-fries, or any dish that uses beef, chicken, or pork.

Eggplant

When anyone goes veg, eggplant is probably the first vegetable that comes to mind, but you can do so much more with it than just make parmigiana. Eggplant has a rich, meaty taste and it’s very versatile. If you think you’re not a fan of eggplant, try it in these Eggplant Burgers and you will change your mind.

Lentils

Lentils have always been a stand-in for meat since the beginning of veganism. Lentils are hearty and can replace ground beef easily. Lentils come in a variety of colors such as green, red, brown, and black. They cook up quickly, are inexpensive, and a small amount goes a long way.

Beans and Legumes

Beans and legumes are amazing. They are inexpensive, healthy, filling, and there are so many to choose from: black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, aduki beans, chickpeas and black-eyed peas, to name just a few. Beans make for hearty soups, stews, and chilis.

Cauliflower

Right now I bet you’re thinking, “How can cauliflower replace meat? It’s so white and bland.” Well, it can. When you season it and cook it up right, cauliflower can be the star of any dish. I like to use cauliflower to replace the chicken in Asian dishes like Cauliflower Manchurian and even Buffalo wings. You can slice the cauliflower into steaks and make an incredible Cauliflower Piccata.

As you can see, when it comes to replacing meat in your meals, your options are practically limitless. Stop thinking of vegetables as side dishes and move them to the front of your plate. With all the hearty, “meaty” recipes you can create, there is no way you will miss the meat.

Who has time to cook healthy veggie-packed meals? You do – when you put your slow cooker to work for you. Often when we think of slow-cooker meals we think of heavy, creamy, fat-laden comfort foods. The truth is, slow cooker meals can be comforting AND healthy, not to mention the fact they offer the ultimate in efficiency. Simply toss in some fresh veggies and plant-based protein, and come home to a delicious, simmering meal. Plus, you’ll have leftovers all week.

We guarantee that these recipes can make any skeptic gain a new appreciation for the delicious decadence vegan food can offer us — and perhaps even never look back again!
From breakfast to dinner, this list has it all; here are 16 plant-based foods that could turn anyone vegan!

Almond milk is a fantastic alternative to dairy, regardless of your dietary requirements. We were pretty excited to hear that Starbucks will soon be including almond milk as an option on their menu and just when we thought our almond milk dreams had come true, we came across this make your own almond milk hack, which also apparently makes the milk taste better. The thing is, almond milk can be very expensive to buy and making it at home can be a bloody pain in the a**.

It’s candy bar time. I present to you, my Raw Vegan Twix Bars with Banana Date Caramel. Now, I know regular Twix Bars don’t have a single banana molecule in them, but I figured I’d change it up a little. Regular date caramel is so boring. Yawn. I also know that Twix bars usually come in a pair of fingers (ew), but hey, ain’t nobody got time for that. I’d rather have Twix Bar Squares. After trying this recipe, you will too.

When the cold weather strikes, there’s little else like a comforting bowl of hot and hearty soup to warm the bones and the soul. Below we’ve gathered 12 recipes for nutritious and delicious vegan soups, all created for the slow cooker to save valuable time and make your home smell amazing! Whether your family likes their soup chunky, creamy, spicy or fresh flavored, there’s sure to be a new household favorite below to tide you over the long winter months. Enjoy!

If you’re considering cutting animal products out of your diet, whether for a week, a month, or indefinitely, you’re probably thinking primarily about what you’re going to substitute for meat, eggs, and dairy in the three square meals you eat each day. What you eat between those meals? Maybe that hasn’t been as much of a priority. But if you usually rely on snacks to span a long stretch between breakfast and lunch, or for a quick jolt of energy during the early-afternoon slump, you should absolutely plan on incorporating them into your vegan diet as well. There are plenty of options that require little to no prep—dried fruit, nuts and nut butters, and avocado on toast are all essentials in our book. But, to keep your snacks well balanced and your taste buds on board with this new approach to eating, it’s worthwhile to try out some more involved dishes. Make the most of your cooking time by preparing big-batch items that you can eat several times—a fresh, herb-heavy tabbouleh salad, for instance, or a homemade Israeli-style hummus that’s smoother, creamier, and more flavorful than store-bought. And make sure you have some slightly junkier snacks in your vegan repertoire, too, like Buffalo-style deep-fried cauliflower or loaded “queso” dip—because, while some non-vegetarians may think vegans are all my-body-is-a-temple ascetic types, most vegans themselves will tell you that they like gooey, melty, fried, and/or dippable munchies as much as the next person. Read on for a collection of 10 snacks to suit almost any mood or craving, both healthy and not-so-healthy, all of them 100% vegan.

Crispy and fried is one of the most universally pleasing ways to prepare tofu. In a dish that’s perfect for a DIY dinner night with family or friends, we stuff golden fried tofu into store-bought spring roll wrappers, along with fresh pea shoots, julienned carrots, and herbs, crunchy toasted peanuts, and hot chilies. The dipping sauce is more than half the fun, though—ours is a blend of peanuts, tamarind concentrate, and curry paste (the stuff from a jar works just fine for this simple dip).

CRISPY BÁNH MÌ SPRING ROLLS WITH CREAMY CHILI MAYO

[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]

For these traditional deep-fried spring rolls, we take inspiration from Vietnamese bánh mì, filling the wrappers with pickled carrots and daikon radish, cucumber, jalapeño, and cilantro. Tofu or shiitakes would be great additions, too, if you like. Again, the dipping sauce here—a spicy mayo that we make by mixing vegan mayo with chili sauce like sambal oelek or Sriracha—is clutch. We’ve got a couple of recipes for homemade vegan mayonnaise, plus recommended brands if you want to buy it already prepared.

CRISPY BUFFALO FRIED CAULIFLOWER

[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]

Most of the deliciousness of Buffalo chicken resides in the fry, the seasoning, and the sauce. If you’re in the market for a vegan alternative, ditch the chicken and replace it with cauliflower, deep-frying it just as you would chicken wings. With a Korean-style batter of cornstarch, flour, water, and vodka, the cauliflower ends up super crisp. For the sauce, we mix a little of the fry oil with hot sauce instead of using butter.

KOREAN FRIED CAULIFLOWER

[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]

The Korean-style batter we use for Buffalo cauliflower lends itself to other flavor profiles, too. To make a Korean version, we add sesame seeds to it, plus unsweetened coconut flakes for added surface area (more surface area = more crunch). As soon as the florets come out of the oil, they’re tossed with a sweet soy sauce or sweet-and-spicy chili sauce.

THAI COCONUT RED CURRY POTATO CHIPS

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Are homemade potato chips really worth the effort, considering the myriad brands and flavors in stores? Unquestionably yes. At home, you can get them shatteringly crisp, and your available chip flavors are limited only by your imagination. Here, we use a Thai-inspired mixture of pulverized coconut flakes, makrut lime leaves, chili powder, and lemongrass, among other ingredients, to produce a set of flavors that are both intense and intensely contrasting.

BEAN-STUFFED DEEP-FRIED JALAPEÑOS WITH SALSA ROJA

[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]

Jalapeño poppers are wonderful when you want a crispy-outside, creamy-inside treat, but they don’t exactly scream “vegan-friendly.” This alternative version stuffs the peppers with vegan refried beans mixed with chopped green chilies and cilantro, so you get that same delightful contrast, though with a different flavor.

SMOKY POTATO AND CAPER EMPANADAS WITH CILANTRO SAUCE

[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]

Making the dough for these flaky empanadas does take a bit of time, so, if you’re squeezed, you should feel free to use a good frozen vegan pie crust if you can find it, and even spring roll wrappers would work in a pinch. We stuff them with hearty potato and briny capers, seasoned with chipotle and Madras curry powder —an unusual yet delicious flavor combination. A spicy cilantro chutney makes for a wonderful complement to the crispy pastries.

Patacones are Colombian fried green plantains, and, like the best French fries, they’re double-fried—once in low-temperature oil before being smashed into flat disks, then again at a higher temperature. The shape is perfect for loading up with toppings, like the black beans, roasted peppers, avocado, and vinegary pickled red onion we use here.

PAN CON TOMATE (SPANISH-STYLE GRILLED BREAD WITH TOMATO)

[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]

No joke: This Catalan tapa comes together in about as much time as it will take you to read this paragraph. Because it’s so simple, though, using the best ingredients you can find is crucial. Start by drizzling crunchy ciabatta slices with good olive oil and toasting them, then rub them with garlic once they’re crisp. Spoon on a pulp of ripe summer tomatoes, and finish with more olive oil and flaky salt. It couldn’t be simpler or more satisfying.

SPANISH-STYLE BLISTERED PADRÓN PEPPERS (PIMIENTOS DE PADRÓN)

[Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]

Blistered Padrón peppers are a tasty snack with an exciting element of unpredictability: While most Padróns are as mild as green bell pepper, about one in 10 is wickedly spicy. Preparing them is a snap—just heat canola oil in a cast iron skillet until it’s smoking, char the peppers, then take them off the heat and drizzle them with high-quality olive oil.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the flax egg and let it sit for 5-10 minutes or until thickened.

In a large bowl combine the rolled oats, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk the coconut oil, vanilla, milk, and flax egg. Add the oat mixture to a 9-inch round baking dish.

Pour the milk mixture over the oats. Place the apple in the middle over the oat mixture and scatter the blueberries and pecans.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden and the oats have set. I placed mine under the broiler for an extra 3-5 minutes.

Stop whatever you’re doing and pay attention, because it’s time to look at food. Not just any food, but some of the best food that you will ever feast your eyes on. That’s right — ever, because when it comes to delicious food, One Green Planet knows what’s up. From hearty comfort food to side dishes, we’ve got recipes that will tantalize your taste buds. They might even render you unable to stop staring at your laptop/phone/device of choice, like a modern-day Narcissus … only switch out the part about except being enraptured by your own reflection with food porn. It also just so happens to be World Vegan Month, so what better way to celebrate it than with some seriously awesome and drool-worthy recipes?